Trying To Remember
by xxkatrina
Summary: Kate falls to the ground, landing on her head. She doesn't remember Jack. What can he do to help her realize who he is? JATE
1. Forgetting the Past

**Trying to Remember**

_"People think that 'to see is to believe', but really you have to believe to see."_

"Kate, watch your step," Jack said, pointing to the chip in the ground. Kate stopped walking and looked down, and once she saw it, she rolled her eyes. "Be careful...even ifyou do havea little unbalance-ness, something big might happen."

"Jack," she said, "it's so small. My foot is at least ten times bigger than it. I think I'll be able to live if I trip over it." She looked over at him and smiled. Suddenly, a noise came from the bushes. The branches and leaves shook slightly, and Jack and Kate stopped walking. They stared at the now-calm bush. Kate frowned, and Jack went up to her side. He gestured for them to be quiet by putting a finger to his mouth. She nodded.

"Do...do you think it's gone?" Kate asked, whispering.

"Don't move," Jack said tensely. Then, out of no where, they both heard a deafening roar close in the distance. Jack and Kate's eyes widened, as Jack cried out, "No, Kate, never mind! RUN!" Kate didn't even have to think about running. She was already on her way to anywhere she could go before Jack was finished saying what he had to say. Jack was right behind Kate for a moment, then eventually got separated.

"Kate!" he called, after at least a minute had past. He bent down, trying to catch his breath. Then, he called out again, "Kate!" He frowned, but it didn't make it all the way, for he was filled with concern and worry. He quickly made his way to where he was last seen with Kate. Looking around, a confused expression on his face, he called out her name again. No one answered. She must've gone back to the beach, he assured himself, nodding. He continued to gaze around.

Where was she?

"Kate, please, I'm serious here!" Jack called out again. But then, he knew that Kate wouldn't joke around in a time like this. He knew that Kate was pretty sure that it would drive him insane if she were missing...

"Kate...?" Jack called out again. He sighed, then thinking that the 'monster' might still be out there, decided to run again. Branches, leaves, and the cold wet rain continued to hit him as he hurriedly made his way through the jungle. There was only one thing on his mind that he could think of, though.

Kate.

_**-------------------------**_

Kate stopped, coming out from where she was hiding. She grimaced at the word. Hiding. She had never thought she would do that on the island. Not there of all places. Kate looked around for Jack. When she saw that he wasn't there, she thought that something could've happened to him. She gasped at her thoughts. Then, instantly and out of no where, she caught herself counting to five. 1...2...3...4...5... It had always helped in times that were hard.

"Jack?" she said, once she stepped past a tree. She entered in the area where she and Jack were right before they had run off from... She didn't want to think like that. Her mind was known for wondering off into places she didn't even know were there. "Jack!" Kate sighed, feeling hopeless. She decided to run. If she wanted to do something about the situation, she might as well do something she was good at.

And that was to run.

So she began to move, despite the heavy rain, and slipped. Slipped on the chip in the ground Jack had warned her about. His words came to mock her. _"Be careful...even ifyou do havea little unbalance-ness, something big might happen."_ The first thing that Kate hit the ground with was her head.

"_Ohh_," she moaned, obviously in pain. She began to count in her thoughts. _1...2...3...4...5..._

"Kate!" she heard. It seemed as if it were far, far in the distance. Then she heard the voice again. "Kate! Kate...!"

**-------------------------**

"No," Jack said nervously. He dropped down beside Kate, ignoring the pain he felt, and lifted up her head. "Please... K-Kate, hey, Kate?" He checked her pulse and her breathing. She was definitely alive, which caused him to be at relieved, but then he noticed that her breathing was shallow and heavy. He began to panic.

"Oh, god, no...," he began, as he slightly shook her head in an attempt to wake her. Then he cried, "Kate!" He didn't care what would happen, as long as Kate would remain alive. "Kate!" Kate's eyes flinched, and Jack's heart did non-stopping back flips. He watched her intently, the rain still dripping off him. He waited impatiently for her to wake up.

"Kate...?" he said, his eyebrows narrowed in worry. Kate shook her head, sitting up. Startled, she rubbed her eyes tiredly and looked around. Once she saw Jack, who was smiling, she screamed. Jack was startled by this, too. His smile faded as his eyebrows shot up, and he cried, "Kate! K-Kate, it's me, Jack! Remember?" Then he thought.

"W-What?" she cried, standing up quickly. She looked around, a frightened expression on her face. "No, I-I don't know you! Where am I? Who are you? Why am I in the rain in some...some forest or something?" Then she frowned. "Answer. NOW."

"Kate, please tell me you remember something," Jack said, standing up calmly. "Anything, at least. Anything..."

"I-I...," she began, trembling. She shut her eyes and tried to think. But everything came back as a big blur. "No...I only remember...numbers."

"Numbers?" Jack cried, his mouth agape. Then he stammered, "You mean, four, eight, fifteen, sixteen, twenty-three, and forty-two?"

"No," Kate said, shaking her head. "I only remember the numbers one, two, three, four, and five."


	2. Trying To Remember

Jack had backed off. He had given her space and time to think. To think about what had happened. To see if Kate remember anything. Anything at all that had been related to the crash. He watched her, as she had her head in her hands, sitting quietly on a rock. Jack could see that she was frowning. Frowning with anger, fright, confusion, fear. He looked up at the sky, unaware of what time it had been. He frowned, thinking that maybe they should be heading back.

"Kate," he said. Startled, Kate's head shot up. "So, do you remember...anything? At all?"

"I already told you...," Kate said quietly. She stood up, wiping her muddy hands on her jeans. Jack looked down, sighing. Kate frowned. "Hey, it's not my fault. I know what you're thinking."

"Well, we have to get back to the beach," Jack began. "It-"

"What?" Kate said, shocked. "I'm not leaving w-with you! I don't even know you, okay? What makes you think I would leave?" Jack stared at her in disbelief. His eyes were wide, and he couldn't believe that Kate was talking to him like...that. He looked down, his eyes narrowed.

"Kate, please," Jack said. "Maybe you'll remember Charlie, o-or Sawyer, probably... I don't know. Maybe even Aaron..." That's when Kate had driven off somewhere. Aaron. That names was familiar. Too familiar. She frowned. Then another thought came to her mind...another name. Ethan. Where had that come from? She screamed in shock, and opened her eyes.

"Kate, what happened?" Jack cried, shocked as well. He ran up to her, so she was standing right by him. "Kate...what's wrong?"

"E-Ethan," she stammered. "W-Who's Ethan?"

"Ethan?" Jack cried. "Why? How do you remember him?"

"Who is he?" Kate cried, too surprised to be angry.

"Uh, he's one of Them," Jack said, frowning. His tone became serious. Kate's eyes were shut, as vision blurred through her mind. The Others. Ethan. Claire. Then that's where she heard the name again. Aaron. Jack's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Kate, please... I'll explain everything on the way. We have to get back, it's becoming dark. Kate," he said. She looked up at him. The rain made it so that Jack couldn't see if she were crying or not, "you can trust me. I hope you still know that."

"O-Okay," Kate said, nodding uncertainly. "But, just start explaining now...I'm so confused...my head hurts...and I think I'm beginning to remember things..."

"Good," Jack said. He nodded. "Okay, so this is what happened..." He explained the crash. How she was running constantly from the police. Kate nodded. She remembered those little bits of her past. But not the island. None of that. It was as if he were speaking some foreign language to her. At times she couldn't even believe that some things he were saying were even true. Jack also explained the Hatch, the Black Rock, the Others... Kate started to remember. A smile crept on her face from out of no where when they arrived at the beach. She stared at the ocean. A picture blurred through her mind: she was talking to Jack... She looked over at him, at his tired expression. She looked down, suddenly feeling guilty.

"Jack," Kate said quietly. "About that time...when we were talking, I think, unless it was a dream... I really need your help, but I think you already know that...And I-I need to be your Eve. Just this once."

"So you do remember something," Jack said softly, quietly. Kate nodded, looking away.

"Maybe if I...walked around I would remember more things,"Kate said.Jack nodded, watching her as she walked away. Kate looked at the people there, and as if they were used to having her around, they didn't seem to notice. She smiled sadly, as she began to remember things. But why hadn't she remembered Jack? Sure, in bits of flashbacks she saw him here and there, but they never really did just have a real, special memory. She sighed, looking down and slowing her pace. She couldn't take it anymore. This was hopeless, and soon Kate realized it. What happens if she never remembers anything about the Island? Or about Jack, in the matter? Kate dropped to the ground, braking in tears. She hugged her knees close, and stared out into the ocean. Something was bugging her in her back pocket. She reached for it, fishing it out, and gasped.

"No," she said, holding up her toy airplane.

_"Where is she?" the marshal cried, choking for air. "Don't go near her! Where is she? She's dangerous!"_

Kate shook her head. "No." She stood up and began to walk. It was if her mind was leading the way. Suddenly, she found herself in a garden. Sun looked up at her and smiled.

"Hi, Kate," she greeted, and continued to fix the plants. Kate nodded, looking around. Sun seemed to notice her blank expression. "Um...looking for something? Maybe I can help." She sat back and wiped her hands on her jeans.

"No...Well, I mean, yes, I am, but...kind of," Kate said, confused.

"Well, okay, what do you need help on?" Sun asked politely, grinning. Kate grinned too.

"Um...what...I mean, who's...Jack?" Kate asked uncertainly. "I mean, I know who he is, but...still, I, uh, 'forgot'."

"Isn't he the guy you...?" Sun began slowly.

"The guy I what?" Kate asked, alert. She raised her eyebrows. She realized she wasn't exactly comfortable with what Sun was telling her...

"Well, never mind," Sun said, shaking her head. She began to plant again. "I think I'm wrong. It's just a guess."

"A guess?" Kate asked. "From who?"

"From the whole island itself, perhaps," Sun said, grinning. Then she shook her head, laughing. "No, I'm just being silly. Maybe someone else should help you." She looked up from her work and smiled at something behind Kate. "Like Jack himself, perhaps."


	3. It's Coming Back

"I'm the first person you saw on this island," Jack said, looking down. He fumbled with his fingers nervously. "And the only person you talked to that whole day was me, until- well, that's not important. And I'm a, uh, doctor, and -" he smiled "-apparently I haven't been getting any rest, as you pointed out before." Kate smiled thoughtfully. "And, well...I don't know what else to say."

"Oh," Kate said, nodding to herself. "So, what your saying is...you're my only friend, huh?" She looked away sadly. "But be honest with me, Jack, okay? Just, uh, answer this question please... I know I'm a bad person, sure, but why does everyone hate me? I'm not an open person and I know it. Really. So how does everyone know about me and my past?"

"Oh...," Jack began hesitantly. "Um...it was because...uh, he was...mad at you."

"He?" Kate asked, sitting upright. "Who's 'he'?"

"...Sawyer," Jack replied, after a moment. He sighed, looking down. Kate slumped back again. She frowned. Sawyer?

"He's the...," Kate began.

"Con," Jack finished for her. "The convict on the island." Kate nodded her head knowingly.

"Yeah. I think I remember," she said doubtfully. "...I think. He was the guy with the... He went on the raft." She frowned. "Yeah. He went on the raft with...Michael a-and Walt and...Jin, right?"

"Yeah," Jack said, shocked. He nodded, gulping. "Yeah. That's him. H-How...How do you know that?"

"I-I don't know," Kate admitted. "Something stirred up my memory...I'm beginning to remember things." She smiled hopefully. "I'm beginning to remember."

"Well, don't stop talking, then," Jack said, grinning. "What else do you remember?"

"Um..." Kate frowned, forcing herself to think. "All I remember, well, I mean the things that I really remember, is being in the rain trying to find you...then falling. Falling hard...on my head. Then nothing. Well, except having an outburst after seeing you, of course. But that's a different story. That's when...I woke up."

"Oh, yeah, well," Jack began. "Wait. You were trying to find me?" He frowned. "I was trying to find you." Kate put a hand on the side of her head and winced. Jack seemed to notice. "Hey, Kate, you okay?" She nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm alright," Kate said. She shut her eyes tightly and grimaced. "Ah...it stings."

"C'mon, lemme see," Jack said, standing up. He slowly made his way to Kate, and she dropped her hand at her side. He put his hands to the side of her head and peered at her scar. A smile made its way to Kate's face. Jack raised an eyebrow, noticing. He smiled. "What're you smiling about?"

"What?" Kate said, chuckling. She forced her smile away. "I-I'm not smiling."

"...Right." Jack rolled his eyes, unconvinced. He squinted at the scar, and frowned. "Oh, so that's why you don't remember much..." He rubbed his thumb gently against her scar and sighed. "No wonder. The-"

"Don't even say it," Kate said, sighing. "Whatever it is and how gross it is, I don't want to hear it."

"Okay," Jack said, letting his hands fall to his sides. Kate looked around awkwardly.

"So," she began. "What do I do here for fun? You know, for time to pass? Don't I just...walk around the island? Right? Or, no, I-"

"Yeah," Jack said, "you do walk around. But not by yourself." Kate raised an eyebrow, looking confused. Jack smiled. "I mean, you don't walk alone...not because the island is dangerous- well, yes, because of that, but also because...I walk with you."

"Oh," Kate said. "Yeah, that reminds me of when we were running and...I fell." She smiled sadly.

"Sorry to, well, remind you," Jack said, shrugging. Kate shrugged also, as if to say, 'Oh well'. Jack nodded, speechless. "So...wanna go walk now? You know, let's see if you-"

"Remember anything," Kate muttered. "Yeah, yeah." She laughed. "Tell me something new. PLEASE." Jack laughed along with her. He had also regretted saying those words. It was asif they just constantly kept blurting out of his mouth without any control. He rolled his eyes at his own thoughts. Kate and Jack both began to walk. Jack looked at Kate and at the thoughtful expression on her face. He felt guilty and looked down. Why hadn't he been there for her? Why wasn't he there for her in her time of need? What happenedto the Jack he knew?

"Jack," Kate said, braking off the silence. Startled, Jack looked at Jack with an expression that said, 'Yeah?' Kate peered at him, raising an eyebrow. "What're you thinking of?"

"Someone," Jack said. Then quickly, he added, "_Thing._ Some_thing_."

"Okay...and what's that 'something'?" Kate asked, unconvinced. She knew that Jack was thinking of someone...but who? Was it her?

"Ohh...nothing," Jack said slowly, shrugging. He looked down. Kate stopped walking. Confused, Jack looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you stop-?"

"Shh," she said, putting a finger to her mouth. She gestured for him to listen, and her eyes widened. "I-It's back. It's back and it's coming this way."


	4. Running For Their Lives

Jack walked back so that he was lined up with Kate. Her eyebrows were raised, and her eyes were wide. She didn't remember what it looked like. Had she even seen it before? She didn't know. Kate was too confused to think about anything that moment but to run. She turned around and was about to, but Jack stopped her by grabbing her forearm. She looked back at him, shocked, and he shook his head. He quietly told her, "I don't hear it anymore. Do you?"

"...No," she admitted. "B-But it might be back, Jack! Whatever it is!..."

"I know, I know," he said, backing up again. He gestured for her to follow. She nodded, and did. Kate didn't want that thing to come back. And she knew that Jack didn't want it to either. Jack's hand slid down from her forearm to her hand. But he didn't seen to notice. Kate wanted to smile, but forced it away. There were better things to think about. Like, if they were to live or not. Then that's when they heard that deafening roar again. She felt like rolling her eyes. Suspense, suspense, suspense.

"Here," Jack said, pointing to the clump of trees hurriedly. Kate got inside and into the middle, and Jack followed. He poked his head out to see what was happening, as roars and wild shrieks shook the jungle.

"Jack!" Kate snapped, pulling him into the center. "What are you doing? It's going to see you!"

"Oh," Jack said. He put his hands over his ears. When was it going to stop? The sound was getting louder and louder by the second! Kate also had her ears covered. Jack's eyes widened. "It's getting closer, Kate." He stared at her thoughtfully. It was as if his mind told her mind something, and she nodded. She ran out with Jack following her, and they made a run for it. A run for their lives.

"Kate, keep running!" Jack cried. But she already knew that. Why the hell would she stop for? To tie her shoelace or something? Jack panted tiredly. At least it wasn't raining, he thought gratefully. That would've completed things.

"Jack, where-!" Kate cried, at a cliff. She looked down the steep hill that led to the bottom of another ground level. She gulped, swallowing up all her courage, and began to slide down quickly. She got scraped. And badly. She cried out in pain.

"Kate-!" Jack cried, looking around for a quicker way to get down. He ran to the side and began to hurriedly run down the not-so-steep ledge that led to the bottom. He watched as Kate went in a completely different direction when she reached the bottom. He gasped. No. Not again. "Kate, no!" But she couldn't hear. His hears felt as if they were about to explode. He started to run in her direction. But that was...where?

**-------------------------------**

Kate ran blindly through the jungle. She didn't want to die. Not just yet. It was too much already. Too much to take up in her life. No more friends, no more enemies, no more...nothing. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Sad, confused, angry tears. She hadn't done what she wanted to do yet. And that was to tell him. Then she thought, No, not again...

Kate looked around. That was were she had tripped. But she wasn't going to do that again. Not now, not ever. She turned around and started to run.

**-------------------------------**

"Oh, no," Jack said. "Kate? Hey, Kate!" He didn't stop running. He ran wherever he thought that Kate was at. But he himself didn't even know where that was.

"Kate, please! Just say something so I can hear you!"

That's when that roar - oh, the roar - finally stopped. Jack sighed, stopping as well to catch his breath. He put his hands over his mouth and cried out her name again once more, "Kate! Kate...please..." He shut his eyes, defeated, and looked down, panting heavily. "Shit."

He ran, although a little slower than before, and frowned. At least he was running. Then he ended up there. At that spot. That dreaded spot where Kate had forgotten him. Forgotten everything she knew about him. And not just him, but everything... Every little moment they shared together. Jack looked around, blinking away tears. He hated loosing someone like that... One second they knew you, the next one they have no idea who you are.

"Kate...," he said, about to give up. But then he stopped. Jack wouldn't give up and he knew it. He wasn't like that. In other peoples times of need, it was so easy to be there for them...but when it came to himself, he didn't even know where he was. "No." He shook his head and thought this was ridiculous. He was arguing with himself! He looked down...and saw something. Was it a...shoe?

Kate's shoe?

He quickly walked around the corner of the tree. It was. There she was, that is. Lying there, lifeless...


	5. Confusion

Kate opened her eyes slightly, her head throbbing with immense pain. Noticing finally that she had just awoken, she cried out in shock and fear. She sat up quickly and looked around, a surprised expression on her face. When she turned to her side, she saw Jack stir from where he had been sleeping. He shook his head, frowning, and blinked constantly, trying to become fully awake. He looked at Kate, raising his eyebrows in shock, and stood up. Kate smiled, a big wide smile, hopped off the makeshift doctor bed, and ran up to Jack, throwing her arms around him. Jack was shocked, and didn't know what to do. She he just put her arms back around her in a friendly embrace.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you right now, Jack," Kate said quietly. She pulled away and looked up at him.

"Kate?" Jack said. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No...what happened to you back there?" Jack asked. Kate crossed her arms in front of her chest and took a step back.

"Jack, you okay?" she said, a smile about to form on her face. "I know you're playing the role of doctor-slash-leader on this island, but trust me, there is nothing wrong with me." Jack stared at her thoughtfully. "What?"

"Kate, I saw you...lying there...on the ground," he explained. "Do you not remember that? Maybe... No, that isn't possible. Kate, what do you remember that happened before you were knocked out?"

Knocked out. Kate gasped. Yes...she was knocked out. But by who? She shut her eyes and looked down, trying to think. She remembered running away through the forest. Then, finding...him. What? she thought. How could I have seen...

"Ethan," she muttered, frowning. She opened her eyes and looked up at Jack.

"Ethan? Huh? No, wait just a second here. Kate, first, you pass out and don't remember who the heck I am, and now you see...Ethan?" Jack frowned, also crossing his arms.

"What? I passed out?" Kate cried, her eyes widening. "What? And I didn't forget my memory... I still remember you. You're Jack Shepard, unless I'm mistaken, you're the first person I saw here and I love-" She cleared her thought. "I remember you perfectly! I don't know what you're talking about."

"No, Kate," Jack said. "You forgot everything about the island...the crash...me... Unless you suddenly had your sense knocked into you."

"My sense?" she cried. "What are you calling me? Stupid?"

"No, please, Kate, that isn't what I meant," Jack said. "I just need to figure out what the hell just happened." Then he frowned and said aloud, "You fell while running away from the monster before, and forgot everything. Then here you are, remembering everything as if nothing happened... Kate, do you remember anything? Anything at all that wasn't before running away from the monster? The, uh, first time." Kate looked at him oddly, confused.

"...No," she said honestly. "I'm sorry, Jack, but no. I don't think that I remember anything, at least. So, what you're saying is, is that I didn't remember anything... Not even you...? Is that even possible?"

"I don't know," Jack admitted, shrugging. He sighed. "Okay. Back to what you were saying." He shook his head. "I'll deal with that later. Okay, anyway, I have two questions on my mind right now. First, what were you saying about this Ethan?"

"Don't tell me you forgot about Ethan," Kate cried instantly, shocked. Jack's eyes widened too.

"No, no!" he cried. "How could I forget him? And...isn't he dead?"

"Yes," Kate replied quickly. "Well, I mean, no. I mean...well, I thought he was. But I saw him. I know I did." She sighed. "And I know what you're gonna say, Jack. That I'm hallucinating and all that. But please," her expression softened, "I'm not lying. Please, you have to trust me on that."

"Okay, then how'd you see him?" Jack asked. "I mean...like, why? Why did you see him in the first place? Did he, ya know, do anything?"

"He's the reason I passed out...," Kate mumbled thoughtfully, looking away. "Ah, this is all so complicated!"

"Okay, okay, I know, Kate," Jack said. "But bare with me. I'm just trying to help." His eyes cast downward, looking defeated. Kate winced as if she had just been hit in the stomach. What was she doing? Jack was trying to help her a-and...she was pushing him away. Which was what she had been doing all her life. Pushing her loved ones away. Until, finally, they all...died. But Jack was different. She had never, ever met someone she felt so strongly about. Kate realized she had to make a difference in her life if she wanted Jack. She smiled at her thoughts and put her hand on Jack's forearm, starting to walk. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Here, Jack," Kate said, still walking. She quickened her pace. "I need to explain things in a more 'clearer way'. Okay, before I answer your first question, what's your second?" Kate asked, resting against a tree. Jack seemed to have become alert all of a sudden. That questioned Kate.

"Well...I might have been mistaken, but, you said...uh." Jack's eyes widened a bit.

"I said what?"

"Uh, something like, 'You're the person I love-' or something," he said, shrugging. Jack looked away, awkward.

"Oh...that." Kate looked away too.


	6. Chaotic

Author's Note: Okay, I am SO SORRY. My computer totally busted on me and I had to get it fixed, so it has taken me a LONG TIME to update this story... Also with the exception of my writer's block case. So sorry for being so slow! Hah it is all my computers fault. Lol. So...yeah! Enjoy! Finally. And yes, this chapter is really, truly short. Sorry for the inconvienence.

**------------------------**

"You know, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to...," Jack began uneasily. He looked at Kate. "Never mind. Just don't say anything... I-I'm sorry I brought it up." Kate just sat there, staring at the ground. A feeling of pity began to overcome her. Jack hadn't done anything to her but help. Help, help, help, and all she has done was...nothing.

"You know, Jack, it's okay," Kate said, nodding. She remained to look at the ground. "I...don't mind. Not at all..."

"Oh." Jack's eyebrows rose.

"But," Kate said, smiling, "before I tell you that, I'll answer your other question." Jack nodded, trying not to clench his fist. "So...you know when we slit up that second time? I ended up in that same spot where I tripped the...first time. And then I wanted to, you know, run away in hopes that I could find you, but that was no use. So I turned around and he was there... Watching me. Jack, he has been watching me. Us, actually. I don't know why. I was going to run away from him but then everything went black." She put a hand on her head. "Ouch. Just thinking of it makes my head hurt."

"No, I'm serious, Kate, just don't tell me if you don't want to..." Jack looked at her with concern. "Sorry I brought it up anyway."

"Ohh, Jack, please don't say it like that," Kate said, sighing. "You're going to make me feel even worse!"

"Then how am I supposed to act?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. He smiled. "You know what? Never mind, for the millionth time.Just tell me more about Ethan and this coincidence where you saw him."

"Okay, just promise me that you won't deny anything I say," Kate said seriously.

"Promise," Jack said, chuckling.

**------------------------**

"Goodness, where have ya two been all day?" Charlie asked, once Kate and Jack emerged at the same time from behind some trees and bushes. "No, wait...don't even answer." Charlie smiled slyly. When he saw the expressions on their faces, Charlie began to laugh. "Nah, I'm just teasin' ya two lovie-dovies."

"Uh-huh," Kate said after a moment. "Hey, uh, did anything happen while we were gone?"

"Um..." Charlie looked around thoughtfully, a frown planted on his face. "Not that I know of. I don't know. All I've been doing lately is Aaron, Claire, Aaron, Claire. Get the point much?" He grinned.

"Yeah," Jack said. "So you're positive? No one got hurt? Nothing happened...? Absolutely nothing...wow. That barely ever even happens when I'm around."

"Well, maybe they're just doing that to, you know, annoy you to hell," Kate said, smirking playfully. Jack rolled his eyes, chuckling.

"Yeah, right, you two doing nothing in there," Charlie said, rolling his eyes as he gestured to the 'haunted jungle'. Jack and Kate smiled at him and his eagerness about knowing what happened.

"I swear, it was actually chaotic in there," Jack said, pointing behind him. "I think I'm pretty much convinced about not going in there ever again. Right, Kate? Remember all that confusion in there?"

"C'mon, it's not funny," Kate said, annoyed. She looked at Charlie and told him, "Don't mind him, Charlie. He caught on some craziness in the jungle somewhere. I think he caught it because he worries too much."

"Yeah, you can say that again," Charlie mumbled. He looked around and said, "You know, I better go. Claire might be looking for me and she might get mad... Oh, boy, and believe me, you do not want to see her mad." He smiled, waved at the two, and headed in another direction.

"Okay," Kate said, facing Jack. "Don't interrupt me when I'm telling you this, okay?"

"'This'?" Jack said, raising an eyebrow and smiling. "What's 'this'?"

"Something...," Kate replied, a playful grin on her face.


	7. I Could Never Forget You

"I...I mean, for a long time, I..." Kate looked away, her tongue tied. She knew exactly what she wanted to say, but it wouldn't come out. Kate actually wanted for the words to come out of her mouth, but a part of her wouldn't... A part of her she didn't understand. "So, to sum it all up, you're just... ah, I can't say it for some reason." She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"What?" Jack asked. "Can't say what?" He shifted his weight nervously to his other foot.

"That...That..." Kate looked down. "That I..."

"Love me." Jack's eyes widened in shock. Did he just...? _No_, he thought. _I did not just say that. I-I couldn't possibly have-? Ohh, god. I did. I blurted it out!_ Jack looked at Kate nervously, his expression worried. "I-I'm sorry, I was just thinking...a-and it blurted out of my mouth, and I couldn't-" But to his surprise, Kate smiled. A happy, loving smile. Jack's features softened, and couldn't help but smile back.

"Yeah," Kate said softly, looking away. She stood up, wiping her hands on her jeans, and looked around awkwardly. She finally looked at Jack after what seemed like hours. "You know what...? I feel like going to the beach."

"...Oh." Jack looked away. Kate's eyebrows rose, thinking that he thought that she was going to desert him.

"No, Jack...I mean...want to come with me?" Kate offered, before the situation got worse. She managed to smile, andJack smiled back.

"Yeah...," he said slowly, nodding. "I'd like that."

**--------------------------**

"Oh, look at them two, Jack and Kate," Charlie told Claire, a pleasant smile on his face. The two were laughing and having a great time next to Kate's tent. Claire chuckled.

"It's about time, huh?" she said, shaking her head playfully. Charlie looked at her and smiled. He nodded and agreed.

"Ya know, I always did know that they were gonna be together someday. Don't tell anyone, but Hurley and I made a bet of whose gonna get them together first." Charlie smiled, and looked at Claire's reaction. Charlie nodded excitedly. "Yeah. It pretty much explains why we're always, ya know, playing around and joking about 'em two. At first, I think that they thought we were stalkers or something, but then after, I think that they were alright with it. In fact, I think they're kind of enjoying it all." His grin widened.

"No wonder, you twohanging out with 'em always," Claire said. Her grin widened too. "Hey, can you hold Aaron, please? My arms are killing me."

"Yeah, no problem," Charlie said, as Claire gently and carefully passed him to Charlie. They looked at each other and smiled.

**--------------------------**

"I'm so glad I remembered," Kate said, looking out at the vast ocean. "I mean...if I didn't remember you at all... I might as well just have died. All of those memories gone to waste, just like that."

"Yeah, I'm pretty glad myself that you remember me," Jack said, chuckling. Kate's grin widened, and there was a silence.

"Jack...thank you, for everything," Kate said, looking down. She fumbled with her fingers nervously. "I mean...I'm just so sorry, because you've had such a rough day and all... And I just made it worse."

"No, no," Jack said. "You made my day...interesting." He laughed, and so did Kate.

"You know, you're right, Jack," Kate began to say. "I mean, it's just impossible."

"Impossible? What's impossible?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. He leaned back and put his arms behind him, sighing with relaxation.

"Me, forgetting you...," Kate explained. "It's just impossible."

"But...you really did forget me," Jack said, confused. He slightly frowned. "I mean...sure, you may not remember all of that, but I know what I know." Jack nodded, thinking that his words made no complete sense.

"No, Jack, I'm not denying you... I mean, it's impossible, because I'll never forget you."

**The End  
**Thanks all for reading!  
Now my new fic, _Guess Who?_ is up!


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